1. Field of the Invention
In many instances it is necessary for a person confined to a wheelchair to gain access to the interior of a vehicle such as a van and to subsequently depart from the van. In addition, many persons confined to wheelchairs are fully capable of driving a van-type of vehicle.
Most vans are equipped with side doors rearward of the right front passenger doors thereof. These side doors, which may be of either a hinged or sliding design, when open, provide a large ingress and egress opening through which a person confined to a wheelchair may move. However, in lieu of expensive and complex hydraulic or electric powered inwardly retractable elevator structures specifically designed to lift a person confined to a wheelchair from road or curb level to the level of the floor of the van, a ramp may be provided thus enabling the wheelchair confined person to elevate him or herself upwardly along the ramp and into an associated van. The ramp can be designed to be manually operated by a vehicle attendant or power operated by a handicapped person.
Electric and hydraulic retractable elevator structures as well as most previously known forms of loading ramp extending and retracting mechanisms are relatively complex, expensive, objectionable in appearance from the interior of the vehicle when retracted, and require considerable maintenance.
Accordingly, a need exists for a simplified form of wheelchair loading ramp for the side doors of vehicle-type vans.
2. Description of Related Art
Various different forms of ramps and other structures which may be used or modified for use to assist in loading a person confined in a wheelchair within a van are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 147,600, 502,568, 1,717,303, 1,777,966, 1,884,513, 2,233,181, 2,370,427, 2,480,047, 2,659,504, 2,788,751, 2,892,556, 3,193,321, 3,302,229, 3,651,965, 3,711,882, 3,874,527, 3,941,261, 4,026,387, 4,078,678, 4,131,209, 4,143,281, 4,235,399, 4,294,571, 4,479,753, 4,671,730, 4,759,682, 4,778,328, 4,827,548 and Great Britain Patent No. 936,484.
However, these previously known forms of ramp structures and the like do not include the overall combination of structural features of the instant invention which particularly well adapt a loading ramp for use in conjunction with a side door equipped van and provided for operation by a wheelchair confined person. Further, many of these previously known structures also fail to provide the desired type of structure with a minimum of cost and efficient and trouble free operation.